A few months in and with just two weeks to go until our Red Collection Fundraiser (got your ticket yet?) we want to formally introduce the Sister Society team. Especially because we’ve recently grown from two women to three!

LOUISA WILD

Who are you & what do you do?

Hello! My name is Louisa Wild. I am a freelance seamstress. I work for small Brighton-based companies including working for Cecily at The Emperor’s Old Clothes. I also run a small business, Hey Kitsch Kitty. Where I make fun festival fashion.

What prompted you to create Sister Society?

I work with and spend lot of my time with some amazing women, especially in the Emperor’s studio. I found we kept having the same conversations around what it's like to be a woman today and issues surrounding feminism. We joked that we should make a group where like minded women could come together. Then we came up with the name and it's spiralled from there!

Honestly I just wanted to help create a non-judgmental space where females are free to share and discuss topics that relate and affect them. I wanted to hear real-life accounts and most of all lift women up. I'm overwhelmed at how far we have come in just the few months we have been running sister society.

What does feminism mean to you?

I feel confused when people say that the word feminism is an outdated word. I really feel like it's very relevant and won’t become outdated until there truly are equal opportunities.

The strong amazing women around me that I am proud to call my friends have influenced my feminism.

I think it's inspiring that women are being heard more. Many women are starting to act like 'white men with privilege' and go for the opportunities that they want, without apology and worrying they are taking the space from someone else.

It also really inspires me that men are also standing up for feminism. We should all be on the same page.

What issues affecting women and girls are you passionate about?

I'm massively interested in the fight against period poverty. It enrages me and makes me very angry. So many women and girls that can't afford and have no access to these very necessary items. Paying tax on what is deemed a luxury item is absolutely absurd.

We also desperately need to be helping homeless women with sanitary products too. There's a lot of resources that mean that men can get condoms and razors on the street but not as many resources for women to get sanitary products. I would really like to do some work with women on the streets because they are more vulnerable and are often victims of horrendous situations like domestic violence and sexual abuse.

I feel so passionately about the fact that women still taught to not love themselves and not love their bodies. It's a rebellious act to love yourself and be proud of the skin you're in. I want to learn how to love myself more without feeling like I'm being judged and feel bad.

I am also very interested in equal pay and equal opportunities.

CECILY BLONDEL

Who are you & what do you do?

My name is Cecily and I’m the owner & designer of The Emperor’s Old Clothes a sustainable fashion label creating one of a kind clothing in Brighton. I employ a really talented all-female team and get to spend my days creating clothing for awesome women & men.

What prompted you to create Sister Society?

Well I found that I kept meeting up with women whether it was through work or friends and family and I kept having these conversations about the state of society today and women’s issues – we often have them in the Emperor’s studio too. I came in one day and me and Louisa were basically having a rant and one of us said that we should do something to get all women together.

It was a build up of lots of small conversations – you probably shouldn’t call them small conversations – here and there, about big issues. I think there was a sense of restlessness and things not being resolved, so that these conversations kept happening and nothing was happening, and I think we were both feeling quite frustrated about it.

So we went for it and I can’t believe how quickly it’s grown and what amazing reactions we’ve had and how many incredible people we’ve met in the short time we’ve been going.

What does feminism mean to you?

My mother is a strong feminist so it has been a mindset and attitude that was instilled in me from a very young age. I've also spent much of my leisure reading time on 20th century and WW2 female authors and subject matter. The start of feminism to me always begins with the suffragettes, though of course there were feminists before this movement - it would be great to hear more about and from these voices.

I do feel that there is change of consciousness in the air. Particularly since the election of Donald Trump women are gathering and turning to feminism and active female empowerment to provoke change. I feel like we're also re-evaluating and redefining the term feminism to feel more inclusive and relevant to those who may have felt marginalised from movements in the past.

Hopefully these efforts can make some real lasting change in women's lives today and for future generations of girls.

What issues affecting women and girls are you passionate about?

I feel very strongly about gender equality - issues like the gender pay gap make my blood boil. I also really care about the representation (or lack of) of women and girls in the media and how that colours our self-perceptions and doesn't adequately provide the plethora of positive role models for girls that are available to boys.

MADDIE CARVER

Who are you & what do you do?

My name’s Maddie and I’ve just finished an MA in Gender, Media and Culture at Goldsmiths University. I’m now experiencing the post-graduation job-hunt for the second time around - fun!

What prompted you to join the Sister Society team?

I came across Sister Society on Instagram and thought their aims and ideas were brilliant, so I got in touch with Cecily and Louisa and asked how I could help. They’ve welcomed me with open arms, and I’ll be contributing to the blog as well as helping out at the upcoming fundraiser in November. I’m so excited to be a part of Sister Society and to get stuck into some great ideas and projects.

What does feminism mean to you?

For me, feminism has a pretty simple meaning - it’s equality and inclusion for all. I think it’s important that feminism is intersectional, taking into account the multitude of disadvantages (and contrasting privileges) experienced by women and working to ensure that feminism makes all women’s lives better, not just the lives of some. Feminism often gets a bad rap and is perceived as something negative or scary - but it’s really not! You can shave your legs, wear make-up and keep your bras firmly in your underwear drawer, away from the bonfire, and be a feminist - in fact, all you really need is to believe in gender equality and want the same opportunities for all regardless of gender, race, sexuality or religion.

What issues affecting women and girls are you passionate about?

There are so many feminist topics that are worthy of debate and discussion, it’s hard to narrow it down! If I had to pick the ones I feel most strongly about I’d say the problematic representation of women in the media, ranging from traditional sexist treatment - the Daily Mail’s “Who Won Legs-it?” headline springs to mind - to newer issues, like how hyper-sexualised and Photoshopped images of women, featured on platforms like Instagram, are increasingly normalised and held up as the standard for women and girls. I also feel strongly about improving the confidence and assertiveness of women in the workplace and breaking down stereotypes that hold women back in this environment.

Want to get more involved in Sister Society? Get in touch via email info@sistersociety.co.uk

We are working super hard on making The Red Collection Fundraiser for The Red Box Project an amazing and impactful night on Wednesday 14th November. If you haven’t already got your £3 ticket please buy it now and come along to show your support for women & girls in Brighton.